Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Few artifacts can claim such a direct connection to one of the most important judicial proceedings in world history. This is an original autograph from the remarkable Daniel Roman Nuremberg Collection, an archive of 118 signatures assembled during the immediate aftermath of World War II by an American soldier who served as a guard at the Nuremberg Prison while many of the Third Reich's most notorious figures awaited trial, testimony, sentencing, or execution.

This is a signed paper attributed to Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (1892–1966), one of the highest-ranking commanders of the Waffen-SS during WWII. The paper measures approximately 5 ¼” x 4” (13.3 x 10.2 cm) and bears a large blue signature above his name, SEPP DIETRICH, which is typed near the lower portion. A short handwritten inscription appears above the signature.

This very signature was featured in the IMA series The Cache with Alex Cranmer, giving it an additional modern history alongside its considerable German WWII and Nuremberg Trials collector appeal.

Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was a prominent military figure of the Third Reich whose career was closely connected with the early development and subsequent expansion of the Waffen-SS. Born in Hawangen, Bavaria, on May 28, 1892, he served in the Bavarian Army during WWI before entering German political and paramilitary circles during the 1920s. He joined the NSDAP and SS in 1928 and subsequently became one of AH's most trusted military associates.

In 1933, Dietrich assumed command of the newly established Leibstandarte SS AH (LSSAH), initially organized as AH's personal bodyguard formation. Under his leadership, the unit expanded from a small guard detachment into a major Waffen-SS combat formation. During WWII, Dietrich commanded troops in Poland, France, the Balkans, and the Soviet Union, eventually rising to the rank of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer und Panzer-Generaloberst der Waffen-SS, one of the highest ranks within the organization.

In 1944, Dietrich was appointed commander of the 6th Panzer Army, subsequently redesignated the 6th SS Panzer Army. His forces participated in the German Ardennes offensive of December 1944, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge. During this campaign, personnel of Kampfgruppe Peiper, part of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte, murdered American prisoners of war near Malmedy, Belgium, on December 17, 1944. Additional killings of prisoners and civilians occurred during the unit's operations in the Ardennes.

Following Germany's defeat in May 1945, Dietrich was taken into American custody and became involved in the Allied investigations of German war crimes. His connection with the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg is documented through a sworn affidavit taken on November 21, 1945, during the opening days of the proceedings. In this statement, preserved among the prosecution's documentary records, Dietrich discussed his involvement with the NSDAP and SS and provided information concerning the June 1934 purge of SA leadership, commonly known as the Night of the Long Knives. His testimony included details of the execution of SA personnel at Stadelheim Prison in Munich.

Although Dietrich was not among the principal defendants tried before the International Military Tribunal, his affidavit formed part of the historical record assembled during the Nuremberg investigations. The Tribunal, which convened from November 1945 until October 1946, examined the responsibility of senior German officials and organizations for aggressive warfare, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Dietrich was subsequently prosecuted before an American military tribunal at Dachau in the Malmedy massacre trial, which began on May 16, 1946. The proceedings concerned the murder of American prisoners of war and Belgian civilians during the Ardennes offensive. As commander of the 6th Panzer Army, Dietrich was charged in connection with orders issued during the offensive and the actions of troops under his command. On July 16, 1946, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.

His sentence was subsequently reduced, and he was released from American custody in October 1955. Dietrich later faced prosecution in West Germany for his involvement in the executions carried out during the 1934 purge. In 1957, a Munich court convicted him as an accessory to manslaughter and imposed a further prison sentence. He was released in 1959 and died in Ludwigsburg, West Germany, on April 22, 1966, at the age of 73.

The collection was assembled by Daniel Roman, a member of Company D, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, who was stationed in Nuremberg during the historic trials. According to a recently notarized affidavit signed by his daughter, Roman frequently spoke of his experiences guarding detained Third Reich officials and other individuals connected to the proceedings. He described how identification photographs were posted outside prisoners' cells so guards could verify identities. Over time, some guards began removing the photographs and obtaining autographs directly from the prisoners, often in exchange for cigarettes or small favors. Roman carefully preserved these signed photographs and documents for decades, creating what is today one of the most extraordinary surviving groups of Nuremberg-related autographs ever assembled.

This collection contains signatures from individuals connected not only to the International Military Tribunal, but also to the subsequent Nuremberg Military Tribunals, including the Doctors Trial, Industrialists Trial, Ministries Trial, and other proceedings that sought to bring accountability to those responsible for the crimes of the Third Reich.

Among the most notable names represented within the collection are senior Third Reich leaders, military commanders, industrialists, physicians, and key participants in the trials, including figures such as Hermann Göring, Albert Speer, Karl Dönitz, Baldur von Schirach, Hans Frank, Julius Streicher, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Wilhelm Keitel, Walther Funk, Hjalmar Schacht, Fritz Sauckel, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, and numerous defendants from the Doctors and Industrialists Trials. Many of these men stood accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace, while others appeared as witnesses, defendants in subsequent proceedings, or individuals interrogated by Allied authorities.

The provenance accompanying these signatures is exceptional. The notarized family affidavit is supported by original wartime documentation confirming Daniel Roman's service in Nuremberg, including:

● Provost Marshal Identification Card identifying Roman as serving with the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
● Class B Pass dated April 15, 1946.
● Army Ration Card dated October 20, 1945.
● Permanent Pass dated May 18, 1946.
● Nuremberg transportation pass dated September 8, 1946.

Historical records further confirm that the 26th Infantry Regiment assumed responsibility for the Nuremberg Trial prisoners in April 1946, directly corresponding with Roman's documented service at the prison facility.

Many of the original photographs in the collection retain small thumbtack holes near the upper edge. While such marks would normally be considered condition issues, in this case they provide compelling physical evidence supporting the family's account that these photographs were once displayed outside prison cells within the Nuremberg detention complex itself.

Each autograph in the collection has been carefully examined under magnification and exhibits the characteristics of a genuine period live-ink signature, rather than a printed facsimile or reproduction. The signatures remain exactly as obtained and preserved by Daniel Roman over seventy years ago.

Interest in the Nuremberg Trials remains as strong as ever, recently renewed by the Hollywood motion picture Nuremberg, which has introduced a new audience to the dramatic events, personalities, and moral questions surrounding these historic proceedings. Original artifacts with direct prison provenance have become increasingly difficult to locate, making this collection a rare opportunity for collectors, museums, researchers, and historians alike.

Included with Every Signature
To preserve the extraordinary provenance of this collection, every purchaser will receive:

● A printed copy of the notarized affidavit from Daniel Roman's daughter detailing the history of the collection.
● Printed copies of Daniel Roman's wartime identification cards, passes, and supporting Nuremberg service documents.
● A printed copy of a 1946 photograph showing Roman and fellow American Military Police personnel marching outside the Nuremberg courthouse complex.

A Direct Connection to History
Whether the individual represented was a principal defendant, witness, military leader, physician, industrialist, or other participant in the trials, each autograph from the Daniel Roman Collection offers a tangible connection to the historic effort to hold the leadership of Third Reich Germany accountable before the world. More than a simple signature, it is a surviving artifact from the very prison and courtroom complex where the foundations of modern international criminal law were established.

The signature offered in this listing is the exact example shown and comes from the documented Daniel Roman Nuremberg Collection, acquired directly from the family of the U.S. Army guard who assembled it during the trials themselves.